Bug FAQIchneutica arotis
Ichneutica arotis · Order: Lepidoptera · Family: Noctuidae
Ichneutica arotis is a moth endemic to New Zealand and occurs on both the North and South Islands, but not on Stewart Island. Adult males have a wingspan of about 31 to 41 mm and females 35 to 46 mm, while a darker northern form can be slightly larger. The fore-wings are cream-coloured with fine grey veins, darker cream streaks and a row of tiny black dots near the edge; the hind-wings are dark grey with white fringe.
Source: Wikipedia
How to recognize it
The fore-wings are cream with fine grey veins, darker cream streaks between the veins and a line of minute black dots near the termen. The hind-wings are dark grey and have white cilia.
Source: Wikipedia
Size
Typical adult males have a wingspan of 31 to 41 mm and females 35 to 46 mm. The northern dark form males measure 40 to 45 mm and females 41 to 44 mm in wingspan.
Source: Wikipedia
Where it lives
Caterpillars feed at night and hide during the day among dead flax leaves. They pupate in a loose cocoon either at the base of a flax stem or on the ground.
Source: Wikipedia
Life cycle
Caterpillars feed at night and rest among dead flax leaves during the day. Pupation occurs in a loose cocoon hidden at the base of a flax stem or on the ground.
Source: Wikipedia
When you see it
Adults are on the wing from September to April. In the North Island adults have also been recorded flying in June, July and August.
Source: Wikipedia
Where it comes from
The species is endemic to New Zealand.
Source: Wikipedia
Lookalikes
I. blenheimensis can be told apart because it always has blackish fore-wing fringes, which I. arotis lacks.
Source: Wikipedia
More photos
Questions people ask
When are these moths active?
Adults fly from September through April, and in the North Island they can also be seen in June, July and August.
Source: Wikipedia
Same family (Noctuidae)
Ipsilon Dart MothAgrotis ipsilonDamages trees, gardens or crops
Fall Armyworm MothSpodoptera frugiperdaDamages trees, gardens or crops
Army Cutworm MothEuxoa auxiliarisDamages trees, gardens or crops
Large Yellow UnderwingNoctua pronubaDamages trees, gardens or crops
Silver ΥAutographa gamma
American DaggerAcronicta americanaCan irritate skinSources
- Wikipedia: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ichneutica_arotis
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Text written 2026-10-23 from the sources above and checked sentence by sentence against them. Data fetched 2026-10-23.